Sheet processing apparatus



Jan. 24, 1967 D. B. SEELEY SHEET PROCESSIIIG APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 29, 1965 MN mm diwfs Q\\. 0

Jan. 24, 1967 D. B. SEELEY 3,

SHEET PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed March 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m i K9 INVENTOR. N, H s; Dam/1MB. SEELE) m7 J BY HTMRWE) United States Patent Ofiice 3,299,852 Patented Jan. 24, 1967 3,299,852 SHEET PROCESSING APPARATUS Dunham B. Seeley, Fair-port, N.Y., assignor to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Mar. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 268,872 3 Claims. (Cl. 118-68) The present invention relates to sheet processing apparatus, and particularly to the provision of means in various types of sheet processing apparatus, such as coating apparatus, for preventing the formation of wrinkles or folds in the sheet as it passes through the apparatus. The invention is herein described for illustrative purposes with respect to apparatus for applying stripes of magnetic material onto a sheet member, such as a paper web.

Magnetically striped paper sheets have heretofore been used as rec-rd media, the magnetic stripes being utilized for magnetically storing data read into and out of the paper sheet from a machine. Such striped sheets are commonly produced in a continuous manner utilizing water-base magnetic ink compositions, such as disclosed in C-olwill et al. US. Patent No. 3,023,126 or in Colwill US. patent application Serial No. 259,042, filed February 18, 1963, now Patent No. 3,203,393. When so manufactured, particularly when high-speed apparatus and waterbase compositions are used, it has been found that there are tendencies to produce wrinkles or folds in the paper in the areas occupied by the applied magnetic stripes.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved sheet processing apparatus, particularly !but not solely useful with respect to coating and striping processes, which will reduce or completely eliminate the formation of the wrinkles or folds referred to above.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided sheet processing apparatus comprising the combination of means for driving the sheet to be processed along a path through the apparatus; a roll disposed transverse to the path of the sheet and having a peripheral surface engageable with the sheet; the peripheral surface of the roll being formed of a plurality of separate short are surfaces disposed around the circumference of the roll with each are surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the roll; and means for mounting the roll so that the relatively short are surfaces are successively engageable with said sheet as the sheet is driven through the apparatus.

It has been found the use of the roll as defined above effectively reduces or completely eliminates the formation of wrinkles or folds in the sheet being processed.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the apparatus as described above is provided with liquid coating applying means, which, in accordance with a still further aspect of the invention, is an applicator for applying stripes of liquid coating material.

These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention for applying stripes of magnetic material onto a paper sheet member;

FIG. 2a, taken at line 2a2a of FIG. 1, depicts (with some exaggeration for purposes of clarity) how the paper is first formed with a V-bend or concavity along the line receiving the magnetic ink stripe, this formation being caused by the swelling of the paper because of the water in the magnetic ink;

FIG. 2b, taken at line 2b2b of FIG. 1, depicts (also with some exaggeration for purposes of clarity) how the paper appears after it is dried, showing the V-"bend extending in the opposite direction;

FIG. 3 illustrates prior apparatus using a conventional roll, to show how the V-bend formation in the paper would tend to produce wrinkles or folds in the paper as it passes over the roll, the wrinkles illustrated also being somewhat exaggerated for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 4 illustrates similar apparatus as in FIG. 3, except utilizing the novel roll structure (hereinafter called an anti-wrinkler roll) which prevents or substantially reduces the formation of the Wrinkles or folds;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the antiwrinkler roll of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end view, partly in section, of the antiwrinkler roll of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the anti-wrinkler roll of FIGS. 5 and 6; and

FIG. 8. is a view, partly in section, of another construction of an anti-wri-nkler roll.

With reference to FIG. 1, the sheet member to be processed, which in this case is a paper web 10 to be striped with magnetic material 11 (FIGS. 2a and 2b), is driven from a supply roll 12 at the input side of. the apparatus to pass between a striping applicator 14 and an anvil 16. Applicator .14 applies a magnetic stripe (or a plurality of such stripes) to the paper web, and may 'be of a construction similar to that disclosed in copending application of Colwill U.S. Serial No. 259,042, file-d February 18, 1963.

The magnetic striping material is a liquid magnetic ink, a preferred composition being one which includes magnetic particles dispersed in an aqueous medium and including a synthetic latex. Following is an example of a material which can be used:

Lbs. Aqueous styrene-butadiene copolymer latex, 63:35 styrenezbutadiene monomer ratio, approximately 50% solids content 117.0 Ferroso-fer-ric oxide, Fe O 167.2 Sodium alignate, medium viscosity grade powder 3.3 Sodium 'benzoate powder 0.65

Sodium salt of a condensed mononaphthalenesulfonic acid, empirical formula When the water is evaporated and the composition dried, it produces magnetic stripes free of tack and resistant to blocking and smudging under dry and humid conditions.

From the applicator 14, the paper web 10 passes over a pair of idler rolls 18 and 20 which are grooved (not shown) to accommodate the applied stripe, and then to a second pair of idler rolls 22 and 23 to the drying means for drying the liquid stripes. In this case, the drying means is a hot air oven 24 utilizing quartz tube radiant heaters 25 focused on the liquid striping applicator 14. When the liquid magnetic ink 11 is applied to the paper and as it enters the oven 24 (lines 2a2a, FIG. 1), the paper first assumes a V-bend or concavity formation V as shown in FIG. 2a. This is because the water in the liquid ink swells the paper fibers at the surface receiving the ink, and causes the paper to expand at this surface and thereby to form the V-bend formation. As the paper passes through the drying oven 24, the top surface of the paper tends to dry first, causing the fibers at the bottom surface to expand more than those at the top surface, producing a V-bend V in the opposite direction in the paper as shown in FIG. 2b, with the magnetic deposit 11 on the top surface. This is the form the paper is in when it exits from oven 24 (lines 2b-2b, FIG. 1).

In prior art installations as illustrated in FIG. 3, the drying oven utilized conventional rolls 30' having relatively smooth surfaces. As the paper 10 (formed with the V-bend V of FIG. 2a or FIG. 2b, depending upon the drying stage the roll was located in the oven) passed over the roll in the oven (identified as 30' in FIG. 3), there was a tendency to form a longitudinal wrinkle or fold W in the paper in the area of the V-bend V and magnetic stripe 11. This tendency was especially strong in apparatus operating at high speed.

The present invention substantially reduces or completely eliminates the tendency to form these wrinkles or folds W, by including in the heating oven 24 specially constructed rolls as illustrated in FIG. 4 and as generally identified by the reference numeral 30, which rolls are herein referred to as anti-wrinkler rolls. The apparatus illustrated utilizes a number of such rolls, each roll being of the same construction as will be described below.

In the illustrated apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, the paper web 10, as it enters the oven 24 passes one side of a line 26 of the radiant heaters 25, over one of these anti-wrinkler rolls 301 to another idler roll 32, over a second anti-wrinkler roll 302, and then past the other side of the line 26 of radiant heaters 25 to a third anti-wrinkler roll 30-3. It then moves past another line 28 of radiant heaters 25 to a fourth antiwrinkler roll 30-4, from there to an idler roll 34, to a fifth anti-wrinkler roll 305, and past the other side of the heater line 28. It then exits from the oven completely dried and formed with the V-bend as shown in FIG. 2b.

As the paper web leaves the drying oven, it passes from a pair of rolls 36 and 38 (the latter 'being grooved, not shown, to accommodate the applied stripes), to a calendar unit 46 comprising a pair of revolving cylinders 48 and 50 which smooth down the paper and press the coated stripe 11 into the paper. The paper then passes to another sheeter unit 52 which cuts it into individual sheets. Unit 52 comprises a first roll 54 including a cutter blade 56, and a second roll 58. As roll 54 rotates, it brings cutter blade 56 down against the paper Web to cut the same into the individual sheets.

The structure of the five anti-Wrinkler rolls, 30-4 to 30-5 tandemly arranged in the drying oven 24- is the same in each case and is more fully illustrated in FIGS. 7. This embodiment of anti-wrinkler roll is of a cage construction, and includes a central shaft 60 carrying a pair of circular end plates 62. and 64, each mounted on roller bearings 66 and 68. so as to be freely rotatable on shaft 60. Along the outer peripheral surface of end plates 62 and 64, there are secured a plurality of rods 70 each fastened to the pair of end plates by bolts 72 and pinned so as to be non-rotatable by pins 73. The rods 70 and their end plates 62 and 64 thus form a drumshaped cage construction about roller shaft 60. Each of the rods 70 is transversely grooved at 70' to accommodate the striped area of the web 10.

Rods 7% form the a nti-wri nkler :roll peripheral surface which is engageable with the paper web. The outer sur faces of these rods which actually engage the web define a plurality of separate short are surfaces disposed around the circumference of the anti-wrinkler roll with each are surface separated by low area in the form of a line 71 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the roll. The roll is rotatably mounted transverse to the path of the web so that these surfaces of rod 70, i.e., the short are surfaces of the roll, are successively engaged with the web as the web is driven through the apparatus.

It has been found that the use of the anti-wrinkler rolls 30-1 to 30-5 substantially reduces or completely eliminates the formation of the wrinkles or folds W discussed above produced in prior devices because of the presence of the V-bend formations V in the paper. It is not known with certainty exactly how this anti-wrinkling effect is produced by the use of these rolls. There are probably several factors contributing to this result. First, the short are surfaces produced by rods 70 reduces the peripheral surface engageable with the paper web and thereby permits the paper to slip, and further, gives it room to slip, as it passes over these surfaces. Also, this configuration of the anti-wrinkling roll produces vibrations as the paper web passes over it, and thereby causes the paper to shake itself out.

It is preferable to have an odd number of rods 70, nine being illustrated in the described apparatus, to provide an odd number of the short are surfaces produced by these rods. With the use of an odd number of rods, when the paper web is in contact with a rod at one side of the roll it will be out of contact with a rod at the diametrically opposed point. It has been found that this arrangement minimizes the tendency of the paper to stretch as it passes over the roll, and also probably contributes to the anti-wrinkling effect discussed above.

A variation of the anti-wrinkler roll is shown in FIG. 8. The roll in this construction is made of a solid tubular bar which has been machined to provide ribs 170 and low areas or grooves 171 extending around the periphery of the roll. The ribs 170 thus define the separate short are surfaces which are disposed around the circumference of the roll and which are successively engageable with the paper web as the web is driven through the apparatus. The roll is mounted on ball bearings 166 to its shaft which permits the ribbed surfaces 170 of the roll to rotate as the paper web is driven thereover.

It will be appreciated that the striped sheet issuing from the described apparatus "incorporating the anti- Wrinkler rolls 30 will still appear as illustrated in FIG. 2b, that is with the V-bend formation at the striped area. The present invention substantially reduces or completely eliminates the formation of wrinkles or folds corresponding to W of FIG. 3, which would otherwise tend to form because of the V-bends. The V-bends themselves are not as troublesome as the wrinkles and folds and could therefore be retained. However, if it is necessary or desirable to remove them also, in any particular application, this can be done in accordance with the method and apparatus described in my copending application Serial No. 268,871, filed March 29, 1963.

While there has been illustrated and described several embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that these are illustrative only, and that various features of the invention, alone or in combination, may be used in other embodiments and applications.

I claim:

1. In high speed apparatus for continuously coating an advancing web of paper with a stripe of moistureoontaining material parallel to the path of movement of the web, including rollers transverse to the path of movement of the web for supporting the web, means for inhibiting the wrinkling of the web in conjunction with the deformation of the paper in the area of the stripe due to wetting and drying as the web passes over the rollers comprising a plurality of separate short arc surfaces disposed around the circumference of at least one of said rollers to form ribs extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said one roller for contact with the unstriped portion of said web, said arcs having a smaller radius of curvature than said roller,

a grooved portion in each of said are surfaces for receiving the deformed striped portion of the web, and means for mounting the ribbed roller so that said short are surfaces are successively engageable with the web as the web advances through the apparatus.

2. Striping apparatus comprising means for advancing along a fixed path -'a web to be coated with a stripe parallel to the path of movement of the web,

means located along the fixed path for applying a liquid coating material having a wetting action to the web,

at least one roller disposed in the path of said web beyond staid liquid-applying means and having means for inhibiting wrinkling of said web in conjunction with the deformation of the material of the web by wetting and drying, including plurality of separate short arc surfaces disposed around the circumference of at least one of said rollers to form ribs extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said one roller for contact with the unst-riped portion of said web, said arcs having a smaller radius of curvature than said roller, grooved portion in each of said are surfaces for receiving the deformed striped portion of the web, and

means for mounting the ribbed roller so that said short are surfaces are successively engageable with the web as the web advances through the apparatus.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Masurel-Leclercq 118-68 Nelson 34240 X McLaurin 117-44 Roberts 34-240 X Brockway 1l768 Colwill et a1. 11744 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

J. P. MCINTOSH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN HIGH SPEED APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY COATING AN ADVANCING WEB OF PAPER WITH A STRIPE OF MOISTURECONTAINING MATERIAL PARALLEL TO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE WEB, INCLUDING ROLLERS TRANSVERSE TO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE WEB FOR SUPPORTING THE WEB, MEANS FOR INHIBITING THE WRINKLING OF THE WEB IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEFORMATION OF THE PAPER IN THE AREA OF THE STRIPE DUE TO WETTING AND DRYING AS THE WEB PASSES OVER THE ROLLERS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE SHORT A@RC SURFACES DISPOSED AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ROLLERS TO FORM RIBS EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID ONE ROLLER FOR CONTACT WITH THE UNSTRIPED PORTION OF SAID WEB, SAID ARCS HAVING A SMALLER RADIUS OF CURVATURE THAN SAID ROLLER, A GROOVED PORTION IN EACH OF SAID ARC SURFACES FOR RECEIVING THE DEFORMED STRIPED PORTION OF THE WEB, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE RIBBED ROLLER SO THAT SAID SHORT ARC SURFACES ARE SUCCESSIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE WEB AS THE WEB ADVANCES THROUGH THE APPARATUS. 